Faridoon Shahryar's Blog

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Shahid-Priyanka's Four Part BH Interview With Transcript

Shahid-Priyanka Hit Back At Random-Rumour-Manufacturers!

Faridoon Shahryar (FS): We have with us Priyanka Chopra and Shahid Kapoor. Ye log itne zyaada busy hai 'Teri Meri Kahaani' ke promotions mein ki kahin waqt nahi mil paa raha hai. So we are squeezing it in the car as they are on their way to a promotional event. Pleasure having you on Bollywood Hungama guys and congratulations to the huge response to the promos of 'Teri Meri Kahaani'! In fact, the music of the film is on in the car. 'Mukhtasar' in fact has become quite a rage in fact!

Priyanka Chopra (PC): Well, I love the song and it has been Shahid's favourite track throughout the making of the film. Loudly in the mornings, we used to hear 'Mukhtasar' everyday. So we are very glad that the track is doing well. And by the way, we are not squeezing you into the car; we are taking you for a ride!

FS: No, I meant, squeezing in time!

PC: We are not! Actually we thought that we'll just have fun. Hamesha hum log interviews studios mein karte hai. This time, you know, it's Shahid driving and music is playing…so lots of fun!

FS: Definitely a Bollywood Hungama exclusive!

FS: (To Shahid) the use of piano in 'Mukhtasar' is beautiful. You've been getting a fabulous response all along. Your thoughts, Shahid?

Shahid Kapoor (SK): Yeah man, the response to the music has been really good and we are all extremely happy. And yes, 'Mukhtasar' is my favourite song. I still remember pehli baar jab Kunal (Kohli) ne mujhe gaana sunaya tha, I was sitting in my home and I started jumping on the sofa! I really like songs like these and I have had few songs like these in the past as well. Bakhuda, for instance. Basically, I mean songs which are romantic and the ones which you'll take them and put them into a mix which is very clubby and 'dancy'. Such songs tend to last longer because there are melody-heavy and you can also dance to them. And yeah, the songs are doing really well according to your sources which we can all depend on! The film's coming out in few days, on 22nd of June. I am gearing up for promotions and remembering what is like to be getting up at 8 in the morning which I haven't done for a while!

FS: Not only my sources, but even the songs are trending quite well and were on No.1 position worldwide. That's quite something!

SK: We are very shocked because the music had just released online. Even the CDs hadn't come out. And within an hour of the music releasing, the song 'That's All I Really Wanna Do' was trending worldwide. What was really cool was that everybody was using it as a tagline. They were hash-tagging it and were tweeting 'blah blah blah #ThatsAllIReallyWannaDo', 'Have a cup of coffee #ThatsAllIReallyWannaDo', 'Go for a walk #ThatsAllIReallyWannaDo', etc! So it kind of became a term which everybody was using to define their state of mind which is nice as it connects with the film.

FS: The kind of chemistry you guys had in 'Kaminey' was outstanding. Many people have been even asking for a sequel to the film. (To Priyanka) You had 8 scenes in the film and yet you made your presence felt. Your dialogue 'Koi rape kar diya kya maine tumhara' is remembered even today! As for Shahid, he has a benchmark and everyone is of the opinion that if he can do a 'Kaminey', then we need more of such stuff. Now that you'll are coming once again after 'Kaminey', does that put pressure on you guys because people will be expecting rocking chemistry…

PC: Well, we always have rocking chemistry! However, chemistry has a lot to with the writing of a movie and our characters in 'Kaminey', Sweety and Guddu, were written like that. And in 'Teri Meri Kahaani', it's a different kind of chemistry. Here its love and it's beautiful, pretty and fun! In 'Kaminey', it was kamina (laughs).

FS: Ha ha! How do you deal with the rumour and link-up stories about you guys that get published in newspapers and tabloids on a regular basis? Har din aap logon ne kya kiya kiya, socha, kaha, iski khabrein saamne aati hai. Does it bother and upset you?

PC: Of course it does and it bothers me tremendously. It's a professional hazard and everybody advises that I should get used to it. I am not used to it. But at the end of it, you come to a compromise where you know the truth and you know what's important to you. And it's important to live with that.

FS: But when stuff becomes slanderous and cheap at times, it must be revolting for you. How do you maintain your equilibrium?

PC: I don't!

FS: Be we don't see you blasting as such in print. You are even level-headed even at the point of time…

PC: I believe in dignity and that's more important than anything else. I may be blasting at home. But I don't like washing my dirty linen in public. And I am just private, as a person.

FS: Shahid, har din nayi khabar aapke baare mein chapti rehti hai. How do you react to it? Do you feel that certain people are jealous of you since you interact with so many good looking women?!

SK: I am very happy that I interact with beautiful women. It's one of the nice things about this profession. But there are also girls, normal girls, to be specific who as Priyanka said, want to live their life with dignity. And I don't think that it's something that anybody appreciates that mere ghar ke andar kya ho raha hai, ye duniya dekhe ya sab log dekhe. Honestly, I am learning to get used to it because there's nothing you could do about it and if I react, that is also giving people fodder to talk more. And that's not something I want to do. So it puts you in a situation that is awkward at times but I honestly try not to think about it at all. As Priyanka said, your family, friends and the two people who are talked know the truth and their equation is good, it's all good but I think it tends to get overboard at times.

FS: When you see pictures in a tabloid wherein you are holding elbow of Bipasha Basu which becomes a story in itself…

SK: Ye to galat baat hai dekho…

FS: Next time you are in the public eye, you might feel that 'agar main isse kuch bhi karoonga, to uska kuch na kuch ban jaayega'. Do you now become conscious in that way?

SK: It leaves you with a really funny smirk on your face like 'Seriously?'! When you meet somebody, you give them a hug and perhaps, hold their shoulder or elbow or whatever. And is that really something that need to be published with a circle around the elbow and exclaim 'Dekhiye, ye elbow pe haath lagaya hai. Iska kya matlab hai?'! It's really a scary thought and I am glad it's happening with me and pretty women and that it'll not move to men, boys and animals soon!

FS: You've been in a relationship some time back and officially, you haven't been in a relationship after that…

SK: You talking to me or Priyanka?

FS: I am talking about you, Shahid.

SK: Achha…

FS: Don't you feel that love is important and that you'll like to be in a relationship and go back home, be with someone…

SK: No man! Love is not make-believe at all. Our films of course are make-believe because you have to entertain and hence, there has to be a certain amount of make-belief element in them. But I totally believe in love. I think it's the most beautiful thing in the world. The best thing about love is that it makes you do everything that you never thought you would do.Your sane mind can never think of things that your insane heart can think of when it comes to love. To me, that's the most exciting part of love. It is most probably what makes the world go round. It might sound like a cliché but it is true.

FS: Many a times, you have tweeted that 'insomnia has struck me once again'

SK: Main coffee bahut zyaada peeta hoon. Main sochta shaam ko zyaada hoon. Pata nahi kyon. And I also work-out at nights. My system has now got used to it and I am used to insomnia. For instance, I just slept 3 hours last night and you can see main kitni baatein kar raha hoon! So I don't know whether falling in love will solve my issues of insomnia. And who knows, it might add to my problem. You never know!

FS: Priyanka, don't you feel like being in love or in a relationship?

PC: I always feel like being in love. I love the idea of being in love.

PC: Haha. Woh bhi theek hai. Woh bhi chalega. But love in a way numbs all your sensation. As Shahid said, it makes your brain not function and makes you do stupid things. I am hoping that when it happens, it is all of those things and more.

FS: You must be looking for a father figure in your prospective person because I believe you are very close to your father…

PC: Every girl looks for someone like her dad. I would like somebody who is fun and who treats me as the most special girl in the world.

FS: And how is your father doing now?

PC: He's alright. Thank you.

FS: Rani Mukerji said that few of the journalists told her that certain stories about her were given by some stars in the industry. Do you think it's possible and that a competition can do that in the industry?

PC: It could be anybody. It's not necessarily your colleagues who are female actresses. Of course, the industry gives out malicious gossip…

PC: The film industry comprises of so many kinds of people and of course, they give out news because kahin kuch log dekh lete hain aur baataon-baaton mein, baat nikal jaati hai. So I don't think it could be malicious slander unless you hate someone. But that's like any industry. It can happen in hospitals, among engineers…

FS: You guys have an amazing number of fans worldwide and they work selflessly without any expectations. Does that overwhelm you both?

PC: For me, it has been. I think everybody on Twitter, my Twitter rockstars, have made Twitter a great place for me. When I started out, I was one of the very few people in India who used to tweet. Our fans and admirers have really given us huge support through thick and thin. I wanna thank them for it because it really keeps me going.

FS: Talking about 'Jab Se Mere Dil Ko Uff'…

PC: I love it! It's one of my most favourite songs. It has got that amazing 60s music and vibe. Even the way we are dressed…surely one of my favourite songs!

FS: One of your characters in the film, Javed, has been appreciated a lot. Bahut hi zyaada dil khol ke flirt karte hain. I believe you have got the best response for it…

SK: Yeah because the promos are based on the shayaris which I really do think is the coolest part of the whole film. I was really nervous about it initially because Aamir Khan had done it in 'Fanaa'. Now, Kunal wanted me to do it in 'Teri Meri Kahaani' and I hoped that I wouldn't do it very badly. But once I started doing it, I really enjoyed it. What I like about Javed is that he's not really a shayar in the film. He only uses it as a pick-up line on women. To uske andar se shayari sirf tabhi nikalti hai jab usse ladkiyaan dikhti hai! But I did enjoy and I told Kunal after reading the 40-page synopsis that I am doing the film just for Javed. So he was definitely my favourite character in the film.

SK: (to Priyanka) You know how much of a morning person I am

PC: Even I am not a morning person but I slept well

SK: I slept late.

PC: Yeah, but I slept on time

FS: We're liking it!

FS: Ok, so is Javed based on the character of Javed Akhtar saab?

SK: That's a very interesting question but you should be asking it to Kunal

PC: I think it is because Javed saab is an absolutely lovely flirt. Aur woh bhi apni shayari ke saath!

FS: Kya baat hai!

PC: Meri jaan le lenge ab woh! (laughs)

FS: Kunal Kohli has written the shayaris?

SK: I think he has a team of writers. Some of the shayaris were written by his team while the rest were his shayaris. It's a very 'rasta shayari' which I like it. It's also shayari which is 'battameez'. Like uski jo pehli shayari hai in which he's praising himself. I really like that!

FS: While 'That's All I Really Wanna Do' is multiplex-friendly, the qawaali and characterization of Javed has a massy element to it and if its clicks, it can work big time. So do you guys consider these demographics?

SK: Film is based in 3 eras. So it was important to capture an important element of each era. And you are correct that we have approached each era with a certain mindset. So Javed ka character heroic hai. Woh har cheez karta hai hai jo hum apne mann mein karna chahte hai par sharafat mein kar nahi paate. So that's why the whole approach towards Javed's character is very massy. Even the kind of music that we have, his shayari, behavior, attitude and jab woh aata hai to background music bajta hai…that's how the character has been approached. The 1960s track is very similar to Shammiji's and Devsaab's films…the fun films. The entertainers of that time, jis tarah ka mahaul unme hua karta tha and that's why the song 'Jab Se Mere Dil Ko Uff' is also a little bit of takeoff on those lines. Meanwhile, the 2012 track is more for the younger college audience.

Most people love all kind of stuff, yaar. Massy films are doing so well in multiplexes and in big cities and even youngsters like it. But it's important to recognize three different flavours which we have tried to come up in the film and the fact that you are mentioning it means that some level it has made a connect.

FS: Looking forward to the performances at IIFA Singapore 2012?

PC: Yes IIFA is gonna be great. Prabhu (Dheva) sir is killing me. Because of all the work that I am doing right now – the promotions for 'Teri Meri Kahaani' and shooting for 'Barfi!' – I haven't got the time to rehearse much. But I have a very special act this year and I am very excited about it. And we'll also be promoting 'Teri Meri Kahaani' at IIFA. Shak (Shahid) and I would be doing a whole bunch of fun stuff together.

SK: I was very nervous initially because doing a live event is different from performing in front of the camera. In the last couple of years, I have started enjoying it. And once you start enjoying something, you start playing a little bit with it. And that has started happening now which is indeed a lot of fun. And I'll be hosting IIFA and Farhan too will be co-hosting some sections with it. Then, there will be a lot of Southern actors who'll be attending IIFA, including Kamal Haasan. And I am doing a song from his film 'Appu Raja'. The whole act is a dedication to the Southern heroes and it would be quite massy and fun. So I am looking forward to something that I have never done before. And obviously, we'll be doing something from 'Teri Meri Kahaani' together. Moreover, there's also IIFA Rocks which will be held a day before the IIFA Awards wherein me and Priyanka will be doing a walk on the ramp.

PC: Also, Shahid's choreographing a gig for me! He's going to make me dance? Have you finished the choreography?

SK: No Ma'm, I am working on it. By the time you get time, it'll be ready!

PC: Hahahah!

FS: Also, the best part about this year's Screen Awards was that there was no teleprompter prompting you. You were just doing stuff on your own.

SK: Exactly and once you get used to it, you should start doing your own stuff. Only then you can enjoy it. Having said that, it's always important to have the teleprompter!

"I Really Loved Shahid...": Priyanka Chopra

FS: There was a story in a tabloid yesterday that time-based films don't tend to work. Do you believe so or do you feel it's the story and script that people come in for?

SK: Some of our biggest hits like 'Lagaan', 'Gadar', 'Om Shanti Om' etc were period films. Also, log kuch na kuch to kahenge. I don't think any genre is on or off. Only thing that matters in films today is you have to entertain and not bore the viewers. And 'Teri Meri Kahaani' is high in entertainment. It's a romcom based in 3 eras and not a drama. It's not a typical reincarnation film jahaan pe log marte hai, dil tootta hai, fir paida hote hai etc. For instance, the character of Javed is based in the pre-independence era. Usually pre-1947 era films show hard characters jo desh ke liye lad rahe hai and sacrifice kar rahe hai. Par Javeed saab inn sab mein bilkul bhi interested nahi hai. Unko lagta hai ki angrez hamare liye kaam kar rahe hai kyonki woh railway lines aur roads bana rahe hai. Aur unko foreigners ke saath flirt karne ka bhi mauka mil jaata hai. He has no tension about India's freedom. The format is entertaining and beyond that, people will see the film and decide. The concept is fresh and aisi koi film aayi nahi hai jahaan humne 3 alag-alag periods ke andar unhi 2 logon ko alag-alag tarike se milte hue dekha ho. So in those terms, it's very novel. You can get very restricted in the space of love stories. Ladka-ladki milenge shuru ke 40 minute mein jo film ka sabse entertaining portion hoga. Uske baad wohi separation hoga and all that. So in those terms, it's a new format.

FS: And what's the duration of the film?

SK: 2 hours

SK: I am listening to the song, I am talking and I am also driving. Do you know that this is an achievement?

PC: I love the song. It's magical! It's so youthful and yet so passionate.

FS: Shahid Kapoor is doing really well off late. How do you rate him as an actor and which are the best films of Shahid according to you?

PC: Well…

FS:..Apart from 'Teri Meri Kahaani' and 'Kaminey'!

PC: Damn it (laughs)! Damn it damn it damn it! It's not fair!

FS: Accha, 'Kaminey' aap bol sakte ho…

PC: 'Kaminey' I think was Shahid's best work ever. But I really loved Shahid in 'Jab We Met' as well. In fact, I even liked him a lot in 'Ishq Vishk'! And I remember hum logon ka debut saath-saath ho raha tha aur hum log competition ko scope out kar rahe the. To isliye maine 'Ishq Vishk' dekhi thi and I really liked him in it. Shahid's anyways a good actor. If you are working with him, you don't have to make an effort to make the scene happen. I would rate him…I don't know…11 on 10!

FS: Kya baat hai! What is it that you think he can improve in his acting?

PC: Nothing much. Everybody has scope for improvement…

SK: If you had asked not in terms of my acting but personally, then she would have had a long list! And we could have a Bollywood Hungama special on it!

PC: Hahaha! Tum kyon information de rahe ho jab woh puch nahi rahe!

SK: I can't handle so much praise. I needed something to break it.

PC: I am praising na. Why are you getting bothered by it?!

FS: Talking about competition, what all can you do for competition?

PC: I can be the best that I can be. Main kisi ke baal-waal thodi kaat doongi jab log so rahe honge!

SK: Apne kaat dijiye, for once!

PC: Yeah, apne kaat doongi! Competitiveness does not mean walking over people. Rather, it means trying the best you can be, raising your levels and making sure you have high expectations of yourself. And that way, I am very competitive and compete with everybody in my films. I want to be everything that the director wants me to be.

FS: Priyanka Chopra as an actor and a person? Your views, Shahid?

SK: I discovered what professionalism can be and for that, I have huge respect for Priyanka. There's a lot that I learnt from her during 'Kaminey'. She's the one who is very inspiring when she is on the sets. She makes sure that the whole team is positive and that every day is enjoyable. I think that's a huge quality for any actor. I always used to be an actor who used to be very focused about my work. After working with Priyanka, I realized that there's lot more than that which one cannot ignore and one must acknowledge. Everybody depends on actors, director and technicians of the film to understand how to take the film forward and get the best work done. For that's its very important to set the right atmosphere. In those terms, Priyanka has always excelled brilliantly. That's something I have learnt from her and even tried to inculcate in myself. As an actor, she's the most intelligent actress we have in this industry and applies her intelligence in what she does. And because of that, you are able to see a much wider range of performances from Priyanka than her contemporaries.

FS: Best work of Priyanka?

SK: I really think she was phenomenal in 'Kaminey'. She had only 8 scenes in the film and we were very worried whether she would agree to do the role. She did make Vishal Bhardwaj fly all the way to Miami (US) for narration. So she did throw a little bit of the 'diva attitude'!

I didn't! I was in Miami for 3 months, shooting 'Dostana'!

SK: Vishal used to call me from there saying 'Yaar, yahaan US aana pad raha hai. I hope Priyanka haan bol de'! But that's the thing I really respect about her is that she recognized that this is a special film. Even though it's not a film that's just about her, it's a film that anybody should be a part of. And she did a have a part which, if understood and approached correctly, would find a lot of popularity and appreciation. And she did the film. I think 9 out of 10 actresses would have not recognized that and done the film. And it would have been their loss. 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara', for instance, is not about any one actor. Everybody has a vital role to play in the film. It was the intelligence of those actors to recognize the same.

FS: Apart from Kaminey, which is the other best work of Priyanka?

SK: I haven't seen '7 Khoon Maaf' unfortunately but I have heard she was phenomenal in it. Even 'Fashion' was good. And I really liked her in 'Dostana' man! With that film, she found a space in which every 12-year-old boy would love her! And the 12-year boy in me was very excited when he saw 'Dostana'!

"I'm Very Proud Of Don 2 And Agneepath": Priyanka Chopra

FS: Your last two films, 'Don 2' and 'Agneepath' were big blockbusters but your fans missed seeing you in a full-fledged role in both the films. 'Teri Meri Kahaani' however seems like a performance-oriented role and you are getting a chance to play 3 different roles based in 3 different eras. Is it something you are looking forward to?

PC: It's very tragic. When you do a big blockbuster film, people say that 'iska to role kam tha'. But then both the films were boy-oriented action films, after all. If I do a female-oriented role, people argue that these are small films and not 100-crore-grossers. So you see, hum dono taraf se phanste hain. But that's not how should see it. I am very proud of 'Don 2' and 'Agneepath'. I am indeed the kind of actress who takes films with big parts and does all of that. I mix-up my films. I'll do big blockbuster films and I'll even do a film for the actor in me. And 'Teri Meri Kahaani' is both for me. It has 3 incredible roles ifor me and the film certainly has the potential to be a huge grosser. What I love about 'Teri Meri Kahaani' is its simplicity. Its three simple love stories about two people who are absolutely crazy about each other.

FS: Shahid, when you read articles in newspapers regarding you and Priyanka…

SK: What makes you think I read the papers at all anymore?!

FS: But I am sure you must be knowing about it, in today's times through Twitter…

SK: …Aaj kal possible hi nahi hai ki khabar mujh tak na pahuche!

FS: At times, the articles are kind of below the belt. How do you guys react to it? Do you discuss and empathize with each other?

SK: What is there to discuss yaar? I think you respect the other person, the decisions they make and the things they do in life would be good and the best in their circumstance. And you give them that much credit for taking the right decision for themselves. Beyond that, everybody has their own life and personal space. I don't think anybody would appreciate intrusion. I think if somebody wants to talk about something, they would bring it up. And if they don't want to bring it up, then you have to learn to give them their private space. Beyond that, all of us are actors and we do understand what the other person is going through because it happens to everybody at some point of time.

FS: What are you guys doing next? There have been speculations about you, Shahid, that you are doing Maneesh Sharma's film…

SK: I am indeed doing Maneesh's film.

FS: Is Parineeti Chopra opposite you?

SK: I am not sure about that. But I am doing Maneesh's next and we'll start shooting in July end or first week of August. So after I am done with the promotions of 'Teri Meri Kahaani', I'll rest for a few days and then start shooting for it.

FS: And are you doing Siddharth Anand's next?

SK: Me and Siddharth are really good buddies, yaar. There's a lot of stuff that we've been talking about. I think people are jumping to conclusions because we regularly hang out and spend a lot of time together. Obviously, there is a lot of work that is discussed. But no concrete plans as of now.

FS: And what about Punit Malhotra's film?

SK: No I am not doing it.

FS: What is the latest on 'Vettai' remake?

SK: I really liked the original version and I feel that it has a lot of potential. They need to come back to me with a Hindi dialogue draft and once I go through it, I'll be able to understand whether it works for me or not. But I did like the original one a lot.

FS: Anything else apart from that in the pipeline?

SK: There's a film that I am doing with Bejoy Nambiar which is very edgy, dark film in the league of 'Kaminey'. It would be produced by Mubina Rattoney, who was the executive producer of 'Kaminey'.

FS: And Priyanka, you are doing 'Zanjeer' remake, right?

PC: (Nods) I do all of Bachchan's remakes – 'Don', 'Agneepath' and now 'Zanjeer'!

PC: The second half of the year is gonna be pretty interesting. It kicks off with 'Teri Meri Kahaani' that releases on June 22. Then 'Barfi!' releases on August 31. While I shoot for 'Krrish 3' and start 'Zanjeer', I am also working on my music and hopefully we should be able to drop a single by August-September. Also, I am reading a bunch of scripts to see what I want to do next year.

FS: You must be looking forward to 'Barfi!'…

PC: Yes, I am really excited about it. I am actually shooting for it right now. It's a completely different part for me and I don't even know if half of the people would even recognize me. But if I managed to do it right, it'll be something I'll be very proud of.

FS: Most special memory of 'Teri Meri Kahaani' for both of you?

PC: 'Teri Meri Kahaani' itself was very special to me. All of us enjoyed a lot at the places where we shot, be it London, Nottingham and all the schedules held in Mumbai for the 1910 and 1960 portions. If you see the making, you'll know how we were always joking and laughing. It was a fun environment that reflects upon the film. And I am probably going to miss the film now that it's almost done.

SK: As Priyanka said, all schedules were a lot of fun. I always have fun working with Priyanka. Kunal is very relaxed and an easy director to work with. Because it's a fun film, that's the reason we had fun while shooting. Even with 'Kaminey', there was a lot of fun but I think it was more demanding. In 'Teri Meri Kahaani', everybody was a lot more relaxed and it was easier and hence a lot of fun. Probably it's one of the most fun films that I have done and I am gonna miss it too!

FS: Thank you very much for being on Bollywood Hungama and all the best wishes for the film! We really hope that it does exceedingly well!